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France and Italy have recently announced changes to their traffic laws. Both countries are now introducing new regulations for speeding or illegal behaviour such as drink-driving.

You could almost say that France is financed by speed traps and speed cameras. The country earns around 920 million euros a year from speed cameras on the roads alone. You would think that the country would now want to generate even more revenue by lowering the speed limits. The speed limit on rural roads is now 80 km/h. Not 90 km/h as before. France, however, narrows this down even further. The new speed limit only applies to two-lane roads without centre crash barriers. Other roads that deviate from this can still be travelled at a speed of 90 km/h. There is little enthusiasm for modern speed cameras, which not only detect the car from the front, but can also flash from behind. Careful passing and then accelerating is therefore not recommended.

Following this, Italy also issued stricter regulations for speeding offences. Italy has not lowered the speed limit, but has also orientated itself to the value of 10. If a driver exceeds the speed limit by more than 10 km/h, the driver must expect a fine of up to 700 euros. The sanction can be increased if you are speeded within a built-up area and/or several times within a year. The fine can then increase by around 200 euros. In addition, you may be banned from driving for varying lengths of time, depending on the amount of the speeding ban.

However, a particular focus in Italy will be on drugs and drink-driving. As in Germany, the drink-driving limit is 0,5 per mille. Traffic offences in this area will be punished very severely with immediate effect. You can expect fines in the four-digit range and a driving licence disqualification of at least 6 months. Anyone caught with a blood alcohol level of over 1,5 can even be given a custodial sentence. However, unlike in Germany, drugs are sanctioned and not tolerated. Driving a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs can result in the withdrawal of a driving licence for up to 3 years.

Italy also regulates the mobile phone issue much more strictly. Any use of a mobile phone can cost the driver 1000 euros and in the event of a repeat offence, which will of course be recorded, up to 1400 euros plus a driving disqualification of up to three months. There may be a further increase if it can be established that mobile phone use was a contributory cause of an accident.

The reason for the tightening in Italy was the high number of road deaths and accidents. For the Prime Minister, it is now an attempt to minimise and, in the best-case scenario, eradicate these figures. The high penalties are intended to encourage Italian road users to behave in a more traffic-compliant, cautious and forward-looking manner.  

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